Sty for sows having piglets

ABSTRACT

A sty ( 2 ) for sows having piglets is described. The sty ( 2 ) may be built having the same area requirements as for sties for bounded sows but may be used for untethered sows. This takes place in that a rectangular sty department ( 1 ) is divided by a diagonal wall ( 5 ) which is adjacent to a corner of a rectangular climate department ( 7 ) for piglets which are placed at each corner of the sty department ( 1 ). In order to establish natural lying positions ( 11 ) for the sow the sty ( 2 ) comprises mounted devices ( 10 ) in the floor which simultaneously protects the piglets against squeezing when the sow lies down.

[0001] It is well known to built sties for sows having piglets accordingto different principles dependent upon whether the sows are bound orallowed to walk freely within the sty. In the most recent years it hasbeen usual to place the sows in the so-called farrows sties in which thesow is bound. The piglets can then walk freely on each side of the sowand will also have a possibility for placing themselves on a hot plateor its like in a climate department in which a comfort temperatureexists which has been adjusted to the piglets. In order to avoid thatthe piglets are squeezed to death under the sow when it lies down,protecting devices are applied in form of metal bars on each side of thesow. When the sow lies down the piglets will thus could escape to thefree area on each side of the sow.

[0002] In stables for untethered sows protecting rings will be placedalong the walls of the sty, which protecting rings will impede thepiglets from being squeezed against the walls. By a loose-housing systemthe sow can usually place itself along any wall or in any position onthe floor. The known sties for loose-housing system are disadvantageousby being very room demanding in relation to the room required in stieswhere the sows are bound.

[0003] In the recent years there has been an increased understanding touse sties where the sows having piglets can walk freely around andoptionally lie down in various positions. This wish has until now notbeen so widespread because of the essentially increased costs due to thebigger requirement for room. Moreover, many stables are today builtaccording to modules which are determining for the total size of thestable, the placing for the transference devices for feed, water and thelike. Moreover, these modules are determining with respect to theplacing of the walls for division of the stable in various sty sections.

[0004] In the known stables where sows are with piglets until these areweaned from the mother sow, there is an additional disadvantage. Thisdisadvantage is to be seen in the requirement for frequent cleaning.Each time a sty is emptied both the sow and the piglets are removed fromthe sty and there will be a need for cleaning before new animals areplaced in the sty.

[0005] In spite of an increased industrialisation within pig breedingthere has until now been no suggestions about the building of stables ina way which considers the wish about the loose-housing system, whichconsiders the need of the sow to move around freely and with theavoidance of the risk of squeezing the piglets and which concurrentlymakes it possible to have an effective use of the stable which iscomparable to the use of the room which is known from stables withbinding of the sows.

[0006] In an example of a sty which partly considers the above wishesabout a loose-housing system is described in Norwegian Patent No.180,401. Here it is described how a sty can be build with two or moreboxes within four outer walls. The boxes are subdivided by means offurther dividing walls to create room for sows and for piglets. Byincrease of the piglets the central dividing walls can be moved and/orremoved so that the piglets can walk within the same four outer wallsunder growth and fattening until slaughtering. The building of thesesties makes it impossible to consider the module measures which are usedin existing sties with clamping. Even though the sties are made to beusable during the growth of the pigs, a wish of effective use of thestable area has not been fulfilled.

[0007] It is the object of the present invention to provide a buildingof a stable which considers these wishes and which simultaneouslyenables it to make a rebuilding of the existing sties in which theanimals are bound to sties where the animals are loose without any needfor essential rebuildings or changes in the existing modules which areused in the various building elements in the stable.

[0008] This is achieved by the present invention with a sty in which arectangular sty department results by means of four walls where in acorner or in two diagonally opposite corners of the sty department asubstantially rectilinear climate department for the piglets is formedwhere a substantially diagonal wall has been placed adjacent to that orthose inner corners of the climate departments to form two separatesubstantially triangular sties where at least the diagonal wall is solong that the sow may lie along this, and where each sty comprisesmounted devices in the floor to protect the piglets against squeezingwhen the sow lays down.

[0009] With such a sty it is possible that the four walls which providethe rectangular sty department can be placed according to the samemodules or even be existing separating walls from a stable with boundsows. By placing the climate departments in each diagonally oppositecorner and divide the sty with a diagonal wall a sufficient length isobtained so that a sow at least can lie down along the diagonal wall. Ifexisting modules are used, one of the outer walls will also have asufficient length so that the sow man lay down along this wall.

[0010] The climate departments which are placed in the corner can beprovided with hot plates or other hot devices and have a cover to createthe wanted comfortable temperature for the piglets. Each of theseclimate departments will at one side be closed towards one of the stysections while another side will turn towards the sty where the mothersow is placed.

[0011] By placing protecting devices which prevent the squeeze of thepiglets against the floor a freedom is obtained in relation to the knownplacing where protection rings traditionally are used which are fastenedto the side walls. By mounting protecting devices in appropriatepositions a security is thus obtained against squeezing of the pigletswhen the sow lays down in one or another position. The positioning ofthe protecting rings may simultaneously be determining for the formingof the natural laying down positions of the sow within the sty in such away that the piglets always can escape.

[0012] Each rectangular sty department which comprises two triangularsties can be prepared by letting the rectangular sty department have awidth between 2000 and 2600 mm, preferably between 2200 and 2400 mm anda length between 2800 and 3400 mm, preferably between 3000 and 3200 mmand that each climate department has a width between 500 and 700 mm,preferably 600 mm, and a length between 700 and 900 mm, preferably 800mm. These measures correspond to the known modules when building stieswhere the sows are bound. In the known stables such a rectangular stydepartment will thus comprise two rectangular sties, where a sow isbound in each sty having the head oriented in the one direction.

[0013] By building the sty according to the invention it will bepossible to place the climate department for the piglets in one corneror to place a climate department in two diagonal opposite comers of thesty. If the climate department is placed in the one comer of the stysection each of the two climate departments will additionally have atriangular form, because they then will be divided by a diagonal wallwithin the climate department.

[0014] However, it is preferred that a climate department is placed ineach diagonally opposite corner of the sty. In this embodiment aprolongation of the diagonal wall is established having a side wall foreach climate department, so that this will have a closed side towardsthe other sty and an open side leading to the sty where the mothersowwalks. In this embodiment the feed and drinking trough of the sow willpreferably be placed in that comer of the sty which is adjacent to theclimate department of the neighbouring sty.

[0015] The animals can be fed with a central feeding plant having pipefeeding automatic machines which are well-known within the art. Byplacing the feeding troughs in each diametrically opposite comer of thesty department two parallel transference pipes for feeding/water willthus be applied. Alternatively, a central feeding transference pipehaving a branch to each of the two feeding/drinking troughs can beapplied.

[0016] Although the sty is arranged for a untethered sow it willappropriate to be able to use the stable for fixing of the sow if it isan aggressive sow where there is a risk that the piglets will be eaten.This may be obtained if the sty is characterised in that at least a partof the outer wall is hinged to the remaining part of the outer wall in aposition close to the trough of the sow and that said part is arrangedfor being swung to and remain fastened in a position parallel to thediagonal wall. It will thus be possible to fix the sow and reduce therisk that she will attack the piglets.

[0017] It is preferred that the upper part of the side wall is swunginto the sty and leave a lower part of the side wall in its originalposition in order to hinder the piglets from running out from the sty.It will be sufficient to swing the upper part of the side wall into thesty in order to hinder the free movement of the sow. The part of theouter wall which is swung into the sty may by means of a connecting rodbe fastened to the diagonal wall and/or by means of a post which ismounted in the floor of the sty. Moreover, a pivoting part of the outerwall will ease the user's access to the sty which may be appropriatewhen the piglets are to be looked after and possibly are to be givenmedicine.

[0018] In order to create comfort by the sow and piglets it is preferredthat a sty according to the invention is characterised in that at thecorner of the sty by the climate department a dosing device is procuredwhich is arranged for dosage of bedding out on the floor of the sty as aconsequence of the influence from the animals and which is connectedwith a central supply plant or a funnel formed container in each sty.Due to the nature of the animals and as the dosing device is placedclose to the climate department a spreading of the bedding in theclimate department and on the floor of the sty which is adjacent to theclimate department will take place. It will thus be possible to make anautomatic bedding in the sty by means of the dosage device.

[0019] The protecting devices will preferably be mushroom-shaped deviceswhich substantially have a cylindrical stem and a substantiallyball-shaped hat and which have a biggest height over the floor whichmakes it possible that the sow can walk across them and a dimension tothe underside of the hat which makes it possible that the piglets canwalk under them. These are fastened to the floor by means of a resilientbar which at a lower end is provided with a hook which may be displaceddownwards into an opening, preferably between two grid bars in the floorand may be rotated to a position for engagement under the grid bars bymeans of a normal control lever upon the top side of the ball.

[0020] It is preferred that these protecting devices at least are placedon a row along at least one wall along which the sow may lie down. Ineach row a number of between two and five protecting devices are used.The number depends on the actual length of the wall and the length ofthe sow. Thus a number of devices are used which ensures that a freeside wall having a length which is longer than the length of the sowdoes not occur.

[0021] It is preferred to place two to three protecting devices quiteclose to the diagonal wall and at each of the two outer walls in thesty. In order to ensure that the sow lies down in natural lay positionsrelatively close along one of the outer walls it is preferred also toplace three protecting devices in the middle of the sty. Hereby threeoblong lie areas along each of the side walls of the sty are formed.

[0022] As the protecting devices have a highest height which makes ispossible that the sow can walk across them the sow will have a bigfreedom of movement in the sty and may turn and walk around in the styfor either turning toward the feed trough or the climate department. Asthe protecting devices are dimensioned so that the piglets may walkunder them it is preferred that the ball-shaped hat is very flat andpossibly can assume a very flat oval cross-section.

[0023] The protecting devices which are mounted inside the sty willpreferably be made of plastic. In a specific simple embodiment they canbe made of a ball which is placed on the end of a cylindrical pipe whichagain stands on a baseplate having a larger diameter to secure a stabileplacing on the floor. Through these elements a spring bar is placedconsisting of an outer and inner pipe which are in a resilientengagement with each other and where a hook is placed at the lower sideof the inner pipe, which hook can swing underneath the grid bars in thefloor. This is a particularly simple construction which makes afastening of the different elements in the protecting device with theprotecting device fastened concurrently in a random position on thefloor surface.

[0024] Preferably, the floor surface in the sty will be built of gridsand will preferably be built of grids having known module measures of40×60 cm. With these module measures for a sty four grids will be usedin the width of a rectangular sty department and in the longitudinaldirection of the sty department eight rows will be used. In the climatedepartment hot plates will preferably be used which are settable in aframe having module measures corresponding to the module measures forthe individual grids. The grids which are used for the floor willpreferably by plastic grids. Alternatively, also grids made of cast ironor concrete may be used and it will also be possible to build a styaccording to the invention having a firm sty floor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0025] The invention will hereafter be explained in more detail withreference to the accompanying schematic drawing, in which

[0026]FIG. 1 shows a plane view for illustration of a preferredembodiment of a sty according to the invention,

[0027]FIG. 2 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 1 for illustration of analternative embodiment for a sty according to the invention,

[0028]FIG. 3 shows a perspectival view for illustration of a stycorresponding to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,

[0029]FIG. 4 shows a sectional view through a protecting device for usein the sty according to the invention,

[0030]FIG. 5 shows a perspectival view for illustration of a furtherembodiment for a protecting device, and

[0031] FIGS. 6-8 show plane views of various stable buildings having asty according to the invention.

[0032] In the different figures on the drawings identical orcorresponding elements will be indicated with the same reference numberand a specific explanation to each figure will therefore not be given.For the sake of the clearness certain parts are left out in the figures,as the figures only illustrate those elements which are necessary forthe understanding of the invention.

[0033] In the figures a rectangular sty department 1 is shown whichcontains two substantially triangular sties 2. The rectangular stydepartment 1 is established by means of two pairs of opposite side walls3, 4. The division of the sty department 1 in the two sties 2 takesplace by means of a diagonal wall 5.

[0034] At each end the diagonal wall 5 in FIG. 1 is extended with anadditional wall 6 which is adjacent to a climate department 7 for thepiglets.

[0035] In the upper left corner in the sty department 1 a floor grid 8is indicated. The floor grid 8 contains a module measure whichpreferably will be 400×600 mm and which is used when building the stydepartment. Thus, this size is also recovered in the two hot plates 9which are indicated in each of the climate departments 7.

[0036] The sty department 1 which is illustrated is in principle a stydepartment which is known from stables where sows are bound. In such anembodiment the sty department 1 would comprise two rectangular stieswhich are placed side-by-side.

[0037] For the sake of clearness only elements in one of the two stiesare shown in FIG. 1. However, the two sties 2 will be built identically.Thus, the sty 2 comprises a number of protecting devices 10 which aremounted in the floor. The protecting devices, which will be explained inmore details in the following, are substantially mushroom-shaped. Theyare placed in a row containing two protecting elements 10 in a positionclose to the diagonal wall 5 and in a position close to the side wall 4of the sty and the side wall 3 of the sty. In the middle of the stythree protecting devices 10 are placed in an triangular configuration.

[0038] With the embodiment shown a sow which is placed in the sty willhave three schematically indicated lie positions 11 where the sow canlie down along a wall.

[0039] The protecting devices 10 have a height so the sow may pass overthem and they are also arranged so the piglets may walk under them. Thusthe sow move freely in the sty 2. The sty 2 is arranged so that aninscribed circle corresponding to the turning diameter for a sow existswithin the formed triangular form. That means in practice a diameter ofminimum 1700 mm. The protecing devices secure that the piglets are notsqueezed when the sow lies down in one of the lying positions 11.

[0040] Moreover, the sty department 1 comprises a feeding/drinkingtrough 12. This is provided with a vertical feeding pipe 13 and a waterpipe (not shown) which may be connected with a central supply plant. Asshown in FIG. 1 the trough 12 is placed in that corner of the sty 2which is adjacent to the climate department 7 of the neighbouring sty.Hereby an efficient use of each sty 2 is obtained.

[0041] In that corner of the sty 2 which is placed against the climatedepartment a dosing pipe 14 is illustrated. This dosing pipe is intendedfor transference of bedding in form of hacked straw, sawdust, chaff orthe like. The bedding is dosed out on the floor in that the pipe 14 endsin a short distance above the floor and may be influenced by the animalsso that a swing of the pipe will implicate that it is distributed on thefloor surface. It is preferred to place the dosing pipe 14 close to theclimate department 7 of the sty so that bedding is established in theclimate department 7 which will have an open side 15 turning against theremaining part of the sty while the climate department 7 at the otherside 16 is closed by the side wall 6.

[0042] In FIG. 2 another embodiment is shown in which only onerectangular climate department 7 is used, which is placed in the onecorner of the sty department 1. This rectangular climate department 7 isseparated by a wall 17 which is a prolongation of the diagonal wall 5.At the opposite comer of the sty department 1 a feeding/drinking trough18 is placed which has a central feeding pipe 19 which doses feedingdown onto a feeding plate 20. On each side of the feeding plate 20 alowered area is placed for absorbing water and where the animals cantake feed down. With this embodiment of the sty which is illustrated inFIG. 2 it will thus be possible to use a simple transference system forfeed and water to a single feeding automatic machine whichsimultaneously serves two sties 2. Such an automatic machine is knownwithin the art. On each side of the feeding pipe 19 a grid wall 22 islocated which prevents that the two sows make contacts with each otherand which simultaneously prevents that the piglets can pass between thetwo sties 2.

[0043] In the perspectival view in FIG. 3 it is shown that the climatedepartment 7 is covered by a plate 23 which reduces the height above thepiglets and which therefore increases the temperature of comfort withinthe climate department 7.

[0044] Moreover, FIG. 3 illustrates that the side wall 3, 4 and thediagonal wall 5 are built of planking profiles 24. The planking profiles24 are preferably plast profiles which are fastened to posts 25 of whichonly a part is shown.

[0045] Moreover, it appears from FIG. 3 that a part 26 of the side wall3 through hinges 27 is fastened to the remaining part of the side wall 3and a supporting post 28. The part 26 can therefore be swung in thedirection of the arrow 29 into the sty 2 to a position where it isparallel with the diagonal wall 5 as illustrated with dotted lines. Inthis position it is possible to obtain access to the sty andsimultaneously it is possible to fix an aggressive sow in the interspacebetween the two parallel walls 5 and 26. It is illustrated that thelower plank 24 is not swung into the sty. By fastening one or two lowerplanks in the side wall 3 there will be no risk that the piglets run outof the sty 2 even though said part 26 of the side wall is used forfixation of the sow.

[0046] A sty of the type which is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 ismoreover advantageous in connection with the weaning of the piglets fromthe mother sow. Due to the size of each sty 2 it will be possible in aweaning situation only to remove the sow from the sty and move it to asow stall. The piglets can remain in the sty and can use the feedingautomatic machine in the first part of their growth until they aretransferred to a fattening stall. In this way it will be possible toreduce a need for cleaning until that time when the piglets aretransferred to a fattening stall and where a new sow is to be placed inthe sty 2.

[0047]FIG. 4 illustrates schematically an embodiment for the protectingdevice 10. The protecting device 10 has a substantially cylindrical stem30 and a substantially ball-shaped hat 31. The ball-shaped hat willpreferably have a relatively flat, oval cross-section as the sow has topass across the upper height and as the piglets have to pass under thehat 31. Thus the piglets in the area 32 under the hat 31 can beprotected against squeezing when the sow lies down. The protectingdevice 10 is fastened to the floor by means of a resilient bar 33. Atits lower end the bar 33 has a hook-formed projection, which can beturned into engagement under grid bars when the bar 33 by means of thecontrol lever 35 is pressed down into the outer pipe 36 in directiontoward the effect from a spring 37. When the hooks 34 are placedunderneath the grid bars the control lever is released and theprotecting device will be fastened in the floor as the hook 34 ispressing upwards and thereby presses a base plate 38 into contact withthe top side of the floor.

[0048] Even though a mushroom-shaped protecting device is shown it willbe possible to use other shapes, e.g. an umbrella-shape. It has only tobe assured that the device can be placed on the floor in an arbitraryposition in the sty to create the needed lying positions for the sow andsimultaneously protect the piglets.

[0049] In FIG. 5 a protecting device 39 is shown which is intended forbeing mounted close to a side wall 3, 4 or a diagonal wall 5. Theprotecting device 39 is fastened in the floor through a bar 40 whichworks in the same way as the resilient bar 33 and which supports a hat41 having an oblique supporting plate 42 directed toward the sty andwhich has a height and angle so it supports the sow when it lies down.Under the hat 41 an area 32 exists for the escape of the piglets.Alternatively, the hat 41 may be hanged on a partition wall or thediagonal wall.

[0050] In the FIGS. 6-8 the reference number 43 refers to stable wallsand between the sties service passages 44 exist for supervision of theanimals. In FIG. 7 a double partition wall 45 is shown which can beswung to the indicated position 46 shown with dotted lines in order tocreate an easy access to the climate departments 7 from the servicepassage 44. As an alternative to the pivoting double partition wall 45secondary service passages 47 may be provided between the sties 2 foraccess to the climate departments.

1. Sty for sows having piglets where by means of four walls arectangular sty department is provided in which a substantiallyrectangular climate department for the piglets is made in a corner or intwo diagonally opposite corners of the sty department where asubstantially diagonal wall is placed, said wall being adjacent to thator the inner corners of the climate departments for forming of twoseparate substantially triangular sties where at least the diagonal wallis long enough so that the sow can lie down along this and where eachsty comprises devices mounted in the floor for protecting the pigletsagainst squeezing when the sow lies down.
 2. Sty according to claim 1,characterized in that one of the other walls in each sty also is longenough so that the sow can lie down along this wall.
 3. Sty according toclaim 1 or 2, characterized in that the diagonal wall in each end isextended by a side wall for the climate department in such a way thatthis has an open side which ends in a comer of the sty.
 4. Sty accordingto claim 3, characterized in that the feeding/drinking trough for thesow is placed in that corner of the sty which is adjacent to the climatedepartment of the neighbouring sty.
 5. Sty according to claim 4,characterized in that at least a part of the outer wall is hinged to theremaining part of the outer wall in a position close to the trough ofthe sow and that said part is intended for being swung and beingfastened in a position parallel to the diagonal wall.
 6. Sty accordingto any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rectangularsty department has a width of between 2000 and 2600 mm, preferably ofbetween 2200 and 2400 mm and a length of between 2800 and 3400 mm,preferably of between 3000 and 3200 mm, and that each climate departmenthas a width of be